Graduation
by CNJ
Summary: As Harry & co get ready to graduate and launch into adulthood, they experience a wide range of emotions. Strong language and some controversial issues.


Finally! It's almost time for Harry and co. to GRADUATE! They're finishing up their seventh and final year at Hogwarts. With it comes an incredible flow of emotions and mixed feelings as they prepare to say goodbye to childhood and Hogwarts and make plans for college and the rest of their adult lives. The usual disclaimers that none of the characters that fans recognize belong to me; they belong to the swell JK Rowlings. Plenty of tear-jerking times here; including the guys, so if any readers are uncomfortable of the idea of Harry and/or the other guys being in tears, skip this one. Meanwhile the rest of you enjoy this story! Sooo, here's the first chapter of...   


**Graduation**

By: CNJ 

_PG-13_

**Hermione**: 

_There...I_ mouthed as I finished the last question of my final exam, looked it over, then turned it in. Most of the students were still working on theirs. I silently wished them good luck, then left the room. Out in the corridor, I fought the urge to let out a huge whooping bellow. I did give a high jump and twirled my wand into the air, levitated it a minute, then caught it. Done! It was sooo hard to believe that I'd finished my last exam! A few students had finished their coursework early, so we were taking our exams early in the second week of May. One of my close friends, Harry Potter, was working on his exams too and I hoped he'd be able to finish his last one soon. The rest of us seventh-years, including two of my other friends, Ron Weasley and Cheria Radwin are taking their exams in late May, right before graduation. Just two more weeks and we are graduating. Graduating. _Graduation_. What a heavy word. It meant the end of childhood and adolescence and the start of adulthood. I myself am headed to Oxford in the fall. Not many muggles know it, but Oxford has a magical branch of the campus. I headed down the corridors in a quick energetic walk, then since it was a lovely day, I walked outside. Once outside, I tossed my Potions book high into the air, levitated it high over the castle roof of Hogwarts, then let it float down until I caught it. "Yep, that's me, I'm high since I'm finished secondary school," I told the book. I put down my bag and one by one, levitated my books, then brought them down again.   
"I take it you've completed your last exam..." a soft deep voice said from behind me. I turned to see Harry Potter coming out with a grin.   
"Yes, I have...how did you make out?" I asked.   
"Just finished my last one too," Harry's lips stretched into an even broader grin and he stood on one long, slender leg a minute. "Oh, Mione, it's such a relief." We hugged there a minute, happy for one another. Harry then cleared his throat and told me, "Next is planning our Head Boy/Head Girl speeches...do you think you'll be valedictorian?"   
"I'm not sure..." I told him as we walked around the courtyard. "There are three others up there with me, so I'm not pinning my hopes on it. There's also salutatorian. McGonagall tells me I have a good chance at winning that."   
"I hope you get one of them," Harry told me. "If anyone deserves it, it's you."   
"Thanks." We were quiet a while as we walked along in the late spring afternoon. Looking sideways, I saw a rather sad look in Harry's large eyes. I knew he'd miss Hogwarts next year when he left for Andrews and Wallace College in the fall. Harry is sensitive, but is a tad embarrassed about it. Looking around the courtyard, so many memories flooded my mind...and I imagine Harry's too. That first flying lesson with Madame Hooch our first year. Harry's broom had come up first and it was that talent that led him into being one of the few first years admitted into the Quidditch team, the Gryffindor team...doing several sleuthings out here with my friends...the Slytherin and Gryffindor teams doing several battles over practice time out here...coping with cruel taunts of some students when rumors flew around about Harry in our sixth year...then the planning we did a year ago to rescue some of the students who had been floo-jacked by the evil wizard Voldemort and his followers...and the mess that visiting students from a middle-world school had made out here while they visited back in February of this year. And let's not forget the Gryffindors' final triumph last November over Voldemort...that didn't happen here; it happened at a retreat off-campus on a wooded area called Quarry Grounds...I'll never forget that dark, cold, windy night when we'd been exchanging reflections inside one of the cottages and we'd heard a noise outside, then all of us had gathered our Gryffindor courage and with the help of Professor McGonagall and Madame Hooch, had gone out there, surrounded Voldemort and chanted spells and songs to drive the evil out of him. He'd dissolved into ashes right there. Aurors had come to make sure he was really gone and it turned out that his actual soul had been gone for a long time, but it was an evil spirit that had taken over his body. Our good spells and love had squashed the evil into nothingness. I'll never forget the bellows and whoops that ran through the night air once we'd realized the Voldemort, also known as Tom Riddle, was gone for good. Once we'd gotten back from that retreat, all the Gryffindors had been honored and given medals and our house won 10,000 points. So, this year, Gryffindor has the House Cup by many kilometers. It's wonderful also knowing we'll be entering adulthood without worrying about loved ones and others being threatened by Voldemort or his followers; most of his followers are now in Azkaban prison and have disbanded, their power broken.   
"Do you ever wonder how much more things will change once we're in college?" Harry ran a hand through his thick, straight, black hair.   
"Sometimes..." I nodded. "But one thing I know...our friendship will never change."   
"Yes..." Harry's hand wandered over to his glasses and he ducked his head. Is he okay? I wondered. "I'm...I'll be all right..." Harry said as if he'd read my mind. "I...just hope...I don't know...I'll miss all of you next year..." he finished quietly. None of us...my friends and I have an easy time talking about what is going on deep inside of us. I had the feeling that Harry's emotions were starting to ebb and flow vigorously like beach waves inside now.   


**Harry:**

Here they were again. My emotions waving and crashing like beach waves as Hermione and I walked along, then headed inside to our dorms. It was a relief to finish my last exam, but now that it was over, graduation loomed closer than ever; it was like coming around a tall building and seeing a huge body of water and you're not sure how calm that water will be. I know part of that water will be my Head Boy speech. Sure, it'll be all right to write it up, but actually getting up in front of all the seventh-years and actually giving it made me queasy inside since I don't like the be the center of attention. Then there would be the inevitable feeling of pain and sadness upon leaving this school that I loved so much and saying goodbye to all my friends...Ginny Weasley has one more year to go here, but the rest of us are graduating this year. All right...I guess I should admit...I'm...sensitive...some. I slowly realized this by my sixth year and it's not something I particularly like about myself. But in time, maybe I could learn to accept it as part of who I am, especially since my late Mum was also sensitive. My Great-Aunt Miranda tells me that it is our sensitivity that enhances our love of music. I guess it's a good part of being sensitive. I looked over at my bariol by my bed, then sat, picking it up. A bariol is a magical instrument that resembles a small, round violin. I started to play softly. I felt my tension and feelings calm as music flowed out of me. So I guess this is one area where sensitivity has its advantages. I just hope saying goodbye isn't too painful, but I had the feeling it would be rather hard. I just had to muster up the courage to face it all.   


More later! 


End file.
